The present invention relates to a steam iron having a water tank which can be mounted on and removed from the iron body.
In a steam iron having a water tank removably mounted on the iron body from its front portion, the tank removed from the iron body can be independently handled, thus facilitating the supply of water to the tank or the discharge of the residual water in the tank. The tank can be made of synthetic resin or the like. The tank can therefore be made light in weight, so that the gross weight of the entire iron can be advantageously reduced.
A conventional steam iron of such type, for example, as shown in the Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 48389/1984 and the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 171594/1984, the water tank mounted on a heat-insulating cover is engaged by engagement means disposed at the front end of a holding portion of a grip. In order to mount the above water tank on the iron body, it is required to insert a rib projecting from the bottom of the water tank, into an opening on the heat-insulating cover and thereafter to move the water tank toward the handle unit side, so that the water tank is engaged by the engagement means. Such structure disadvantageously makes it difficult to handle the water tank when mounting on the iron body. Moreover, the mounted water tank is vertically swung, thus giving a feeling of uneasiness to the operator. Further, in removing the water tank, a spring device on the top surface of the heat-insulating cover is used to push the water tank upward. Accordingly, when the engagement means are released, the water tank is suddenly pushed up to often frighten the operator. Such type of iron also has a defect that the water tank cannot be removed if fingers of the operator holding the handle unit partially touch the water tank. Further, after the water tank has been pushed up and removed from the iron body, the water tank may be placed incorrectly on the heat-insulating cover or the water tank is turned sideways at the side of the iron body if the amount of the water remaining in the water tank is small. Moreover, the spring device secured to the top surface of the heat-insulating cover which is heated to high temperatures, may be deformed or may not present sufficient resiliency over a long-term use. As a result, such spring device cannot push up the water tank if the tank is filled with a large amount of water.
In a steam iron where the heat-insulating cover is covered with the water tank, the water tank is often removed when the iron is used as a dry iron. Then, a radiant heat from the heat-insulating cover is applied directly to the hand of the operator holding the handle unit, thus giving an unpleasant feeling to the operator.